Job Description

Senior Operations Lead - Triage (Interim Head)

Location: Sheffield/Hybrid working

Salary: £63,526 per year, rising to £65,924 per year after successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.

Vacancy Type: Full-time. Fixed term until 31st March 2027

Closing date: 09/08/2026

The Role

Social Work England are the specialist regulator for social work in England, focused on enabling positive change in social work. Every day, social workers support millions of people to improve their chances in life. We are taking a new approach to regulating social workers in their vital roles. We believe in the power of collaboration and share a common goal with those we regulate – to protect the public, enable positive change and ultimately improve people’s lives.

The Senior Operational Lead provides senior operational leadership across the triage function during a period of significant organisational transformation, workforce expansion and service improvement. Working in partnership with the Head of Triage, the role exercises significant delegated authority to ensure continuity of day-to-day operational leadership, sustained ser-vice performance and workforce effectiveness whilst the Head of Triage leads the implementation of the Triage Process Review recommendations and wider transformation programme.

A key purpose of the role is to strengthen and lead the existing management structure, including Triage Operational Managers and Triage Leads. The postholder develops management capability, addresses complex performance, behavioural and capability issues, embeds consistent leadership practice and creates high performing teams, enabling the Head of Triage to focus on strategic transformation whilst maintaining high standards of operational delivery.

The role requires the application of extensive specialist knowledge of fitness to practise triage, regulatory decision making, operational leadership and workforce management to ensure the consistent delivery of high quality, legally robust and evidence-based operational outcomes.

Your skills, knowledge and experience

* Significant senior operational leadership experience of leading operational teams and managers within a high-volume regulatory, investigations, enforcement, fitness to practise or similar environment, with a comprehensive understanding of regulatory decision making, statutory processes and operational governance.

* Demonstrable experience of improving individual, team and organisational performance through effective leadership, coaching and performance management.

* Experience of managing complex workforce issues including capability, conduct, attendance and behavioural matters.

* Experience of leading, coaching and developing operational managers and building management capability within operational environments.

* Proven ability to lead operational delivery during periods of significant organisational change, maintaining service performance whilst embedding sustainable improvements and developing organisational capability.

* Strong analytical skills with experience of using operational performance information and management data to identify issues and drive improvement.

* Experience of implementing change within operational services whilst maintaining service delivery.

* Ability to influence, coach and challenge managers and staff constructively to achieve positive outcomes.

* Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with experience of representing operational services and building credibility with senior internal and external stakeholders.

* Demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and experience of creating inclusive and high-performing team cultures.

Benefits

In addition to your salary, we also offer:

* 25 days annual leave, rising with service to 30 days per annum, plus bank holidays.

* The option to purchase up to an additional 5 days of annual leave per annum.

* A TIDE award winning inclusive culture, made up of staff networks, social events and forums.

* A pension scheme, life insurance, an employee recognition scheme and cycle to work scheme.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Social Work England, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application